What Is Molluscum?
Article Sources
- 1. Meza-Romero, Rodrigo et al. “Molluscum contagiosum: an update and review of new perspectives in etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.” Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology vol. 12 373-381. 30 May. 2019, doi:10.2147/CCID.S187224
- 2. Nandhini, G., Rajkumar, K., Kanth, K. S., Nataraj, P., Ananthakrishnan, P., & Arunachalam, M. (2015). Molluscum contagiosum in a 12-year-old child - report of a case and review of literature. Journal of international oral health : JIOH, 7(1), 63–66.
- 3. Leung, Alexander K C et al. “Molluscum Contagiosum: An Update.” Recent patents on inflammation & allergy drug discovery vol. 11,1 (2017): 22-31. doi:10.2174/1872213X11666170518114456
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Molluscum is the infection that can happen when a person catches the molluscum contagiosum poxvirus. The infection usually appears on the skin, causing lesions to develop and trigger irritation all over the infected regions. While a treatable condition, some cases of this infection can take up to four or five years to run their course.
Because there are many different kinds of rashes that can develop over the skin, focusing on the underlying causes and additional symptoms of molluscum is crucial to recognize it. These questions illustrate important factors involved with diagnosing and treating this infection.
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1. What Are the Symptoms of Molluscum?
Someone who has come in contact with the molluscum contagiosum virus is likely to see the symptoms of infection anywhere between one and six months from the first point of contact. It takes several weeks for the virus to intubate, meaning you may not realize there is even an infection for a good chunk of time.1Meza-Romero, Rodrigo et al. “Molluscum contagiosum: an update and review of new perspectives in etiology, diagnosis, and treatment.” Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology vol. 12 373-381. 30 May. 2019, doi:10.2147/CCID.S187224
The first symptoms of molluscum are small lesions on the skin. Molluscum causes a specific type of skin rash, and any part of the body can develop these lesions. Typically, the bumps appear in groups of up to 20. The lesions are usually the same color as a person’s flesh, or else a bit lighter or pinkish.
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